He couldn’t quite live upto the million-dollar price tag in the IPL last season but after a spectacular debut for Kings XI Punjab this year, Australian batsman Glenn Maxwell says the “relaxed atmosphere” in his new team will help him be a consistent performer.
“It always feels nice when you know that you are going to be a regular in the playing eleven, something which was not possible at a star-studded Mumbai outfit. Here I feel more relaxed and don’t feel the same pressure of expectations. The start has been good and hopefully we will only get better from here,” Maxwell told PTI from Dubai a day after hammering 95 off 43 balls to ensure Punjab made short work of Chennai Super Kings’ 205 in their IPL opener in Abu Dhabi.
He surely set the the tournament on fire yesterday courtesy his sensational innings but it was not all hunky dory last season.
Maxwell could not make an impact in the three games he got after being snapped up for USD one million by Mumbai Indians, a team which boasted of international stars such as Sachin Tendulkar, Ricky Ponting, Kieron Pollard, Rohit Sharma and Dwayne Smith.
“That way, it is a lot different at Kings XI. The Mumbai Indians had all bases covered and the plan was to win every match and eventually the tournament. Here, the goals are different. We don’t have big international names so the focus is on just doing the best we can in a game and improve from there on,” said the 25-year-old Victorian.
Asked about the Punjab squad led by his Australian one-day skipper George Bailey, Maxwell said: “It is a nicely balanced bunch and the presence of experienced Indian guys is a great help. Viru (Sehwag) is still an unbelievable and it is incredible what Cheteshwar Pujara has done in Tests in such a short time.